In a long-rumored move, several plaintiffs — including the Delatorre brothers, allegedly ousted from the Counter Narcotics Team as whistleblowers — have brought civil racketeering and corruption charges against several high-profile local defendants.
The defendants include: Former Savannah City Manager Michael Brown, former Chatham County Manager Russ Abolt, former Chatham County Commission Chairman Pete Liakakis, former Police Chief Willie Lovett (now imprisoned), former Interim Chief Julie Tolbert, and a host of staff in the Savannah Chatham Metro Police.
The suit in Superior Court also targets the estate of former Internal Affairs head Andre Oliver, who committed suicide as the controversy unfolded which eventually led to Lovett's ouster.
See the full complaint here.
The complaint alleges that "the managers of both the County and the City were key participants in the furtherance of the criminal activity of the corrupt enterprise," referring to allegations that Brown, Abolt, Lovett, and other defendants conspired to allow the environment which effectively guaranteed the shipment of illegal narcotics to Savannah streets.
Michael Brown is alleged to have told former Police Chief Michael Berkow, who wanted to fire Lovett, that "elected officials in the City of Savannah protected Lovett, and Brown refused to allow Berkow to fire Lovett."
The suit also alleges that during Lovett's tenure there was a "criminal organization" within SCMPD "that included multiple officers and individuals within local government...…
The defendants include: Former Savannah City Manager Michael Brown, former Chatham County Manager Russ Abolt, former Chatham County Commission Chairman Pete Liakakis, former Police Chief Willie Lovett (now imprisoned), former Interim Chief Julie Tolbert, and a host of staff in the Savannah Chatham Metro Police.
The suit in Superior Court also targets the estate of former Internal Affairs head Andre Oliver, who committed suicide as the controversy unfolded which eventually led to Lovett's ouster.
See the full complaint here.
The complaint alleges that "the managers of both the County and the City were key participants in the furtherance of the criminal activity of the corrupt enterprise," referring to allegations that Brown, Abolt, Lovett, and other defendants conspired to allow the environment which effectively guaranteed the shipment of illegal narcotics to Savannah streets.
Michael Brown is alleged to have told former Police Chief Michael Berkow, who wanted to fire Lovett, that "elected officials in the City of Savannah protected Lovett, and Brown refused to allow Berkow to fire Lovett."
The suit also alleges that during Lovett's tenure there was a "criminal organization" within SCMPD "that included multiple officers and individuals within local government...…